Coded hammer control in selective printing machine



July 10, 1962 c. J. DONABIN 3,043,213

CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 10, 1962 c. J. DONABIN CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 14, 1960 July 10, 1962 c. J. DONABIN CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 10, 1962 c. J. DONABIN CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 14, 1960 Y 1962 c. J. DONABIN 3,043,213

CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 l 0 0 0 o 001; /O/7/IIJO $0 (10330 1 1. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1% f /11 1 1 1 11 1 1/ 2 2 2 22 2 2 2 2 22 22 2 222 2 2 212 3 3 33 3 3 [133 303133 03 n3 na 33 3/ 41.41.441.41. 4444441744 444; 5 55s 55% 55 5 5 5555 s s 5 '5 es 666 ssssssssssssss 74% 8B ass as 8 B8 88 88119 D8 88 //9 s9 99 99 99 us 99 1199 9 us 1199 9 y 1962 c. J. DONABIN 3,043,213

CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet July 10, 1962 c. J. DONABIN 3,043,213

CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 1o Sheets-Sheet a y 1962 c. J. DONABlN 3,043,213

CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 July 10, 1962 c. J. DONABIN 3 CODED HAMMER CONTROL IN SELECTIVE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 nliilihi United States Patent r: v a

3,043,213 CODED HAMMER CGNTROL 1N SELECTKVE PRlNTING MACHINE Claude Jules Donabin, Vincennes, France, assignor to Compagnie des Machines Bull (societe Anouyme),

Paris, France Filed Apr. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 22,144 3 Claims. (Cl. 101-93) The present invention relates to improvements in cyclically operating printing machines and more especially in machines for printing data line-by-line under the control of electric pulses transmitted thereto in accordance with a code as a result of the reading of record cards or tapes or by any other means.

A printing machine of this type has been described in United States patent specification No. 2,227,143 which discloses a printing mechanism designed to print alphabetical or numerical data and signs under the control of coded electric pulses transmitted to the said machine by record card reading devices. The data to be printed are each recorded in a card column by means of one or two perforations positioned in the said column in accordance with an eleven-position recording code. Ten of these positions are numbered 9 to O for the recording of numerical data and two additional recording locations, at the top of each column, are designated 11 and 12. The position 12 is not used in the example described in the said patent. For recording alphabetical data, a code comprising two combined perforations is employed (except for the letters and I, which are represented by the digits 0 and 1).

In the coded representation of a letter, a first perforation, called the group selecting perforation, is punched in a column in one of the positions 9, 8 and 7 which form a first group of positions or recording locations. I

A second perforation, called the executive perforation, is positioned in the same column in a second group of recording locations, in one of the positions 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 and 11, depending upon the character or sign represented. The perforation 11 is the only one in a column which can control the printing of a full-stop. It is thus possible with this code to represent thirty-seven signs, including twentyfour letters, ten digits, two letters (0 and I) and one sign (a full-stop).

One object of the present invention is to provide a printing mechanism in which the decoding device is designed to permit the use of an extended alphanumeiical and sign code, in which combinations of perforations in the first group of positions, called group selecting perforations, are used to form additional group selections, that is to say, starting with a code similar to that employed according to the aforesaid patent specification, in which any one of the perforations 9, 8 and 7, of the first group of positions can effect a group character selection, it is possible in accordance with the present invention to use a code extended by means of additional group character selections formed of combinations of group selecting perforations, for example 9-8 and 9-7.

By providing for the possible use of the recording position 12 in the second group of positions or recording locations, there is produced a code comprising 1, 2 or 3 marks or perforations which permit the recording in one column of a Sign chosen from 59 different digits, characters or signs.

Arrangements are known which, with the object of establishing an extended code, provide additional coded combinations in which any one of the perforations of numerical indications may be accompanied by a second perforation in the recording position of immediately lower value. The decoding system of the utilising machines must in this case effect a different selection depending upon whether a numerical perforation is single or double. The exploitathe machines.

3,043,213 Patented July 10, 1962 "are lit?

tion of a code of this nature affords difliculties which have prevented a wide utilisation thereof.

The present invention relates more particularly to cyclically operating printing machines controlled by record cards, wherein the duration of a cycle is divided into a number of equal intervals, or cycle points, the duration of which in a cycle generally corresponds to the performance of an elemental function. For example, in a printing machine of this type, the duration of each cycle is often divided into fifteen points, each of the first twelve points of each cycle corresponding to the time allocated to the reading of each of the twelve recording positions in the columns of record cards. Electric pulses corresponding to marks or perforations read in different columns may be simultaneously transmitted to diflerent printing mechanisms of the machine.

The invention also concerns particular arrangements which permit an economic construction of printing machines capable of operating correctly, for long periods and without appreciable wear at increased (substantially doubled) speeds as compared with machines of similar type designed in accordance with prior art.

The arrangements according to the invention make it possible to provide machines capable of operating with an extended code without increasing the duration of the cycle points or of the number of points per cycle.

A feature of the invention resides in that, for the selection of group characters, the decoding device comprises a stepped group selecting sector which is positioned by the way of two sel cting levers acting, one or both in combination, on said group selecting sector. Each of the selecting levers is positioned by one pawl selectively actuated at predetermined instants in a cycle under the control of coded control pulses transmitted to an electromagnet controlling the pawls.

Arrangements are provided for facilitating the adjustment, the assembly and the interchangeability of the printing mechanisms in order to ensure better utilisation of Further features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1A and 1B (these two figures being joined together along the line V-W) diagrammatically illustrate a whole printing and decoding .mechanism of a printing machine.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the inain parts of a mechanism for the actuation of the selecting, retaining and resetting bars of a row of mechanisms of a printing machine.

FIGURE 3A is a diagram of the movements of the selecting bar in the course of a cycle.

FIGURE 33 is a diagram of the movements of the retaining bar and of the movements of the control pawl in different cases in the course of a cycle.

FIGURE 3C is a diagram of the movements of the resetting bar in the course of a cycle.

FIGURE 4 is a diagram illustrating the principle of control circuits for automatically printing noughts included in numbers.

FIGURE 5 is a diagram illustrating the closure of the cam-controlled contacts of the circuits of FIGURE 4.

FIGURES 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E and 6F are separate views of the main pawls and levers of the decoding mechanism represented in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIGURES 7, 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged detailed views of a part of the decoding mechanism represented in FIGURES 1A and 1B and showing the relative position of the different organs of said mechanism in the different operating cases corresponding respectively to the points provided on its periphery with nine teeth '60.

3 FIGURE 11 illustrates a fragment of a record card. FIGURES 1A and 1B in combination illustrate a printing mechanism designed in accordance with the invention; The printing mechanisms are disposed in the machine in two rows on either side of a plane X-Y extending along the axis of rotation A of a type .drum 1. With this arrangement, it is possible to provide for the accommodation of each mechanism a thickness equal to twice the width allocated to one character on a printing line. FIGURE 1A partially shows the symmetrical arrangement of the two rows of printing mechanisms in the machine. The type drum is actuated with a continuous rotational movement past the striking mechanisms at the rate of one revolution per machine cycle. Characters are engraved in relief on the periphery of the drum and arranged in known manner in relation to the printing mechanisms. Each printing mechanism is mounttxi on a support plate 2 which is retained by screws ,80 and 81 on support bars 3 and 4 fast with the frame of the machine. Bars 62, 63, 64 and 82 are formed with recessesserving for-the exact positioning of each mechanism in relation to a printing line.

For the printing, one or more paper sheets 65 may be arranged, for example, with record sheets or a record ribbon 66, between the type drum and the'pn'nting mechanisms. The positioning and the advance of the paper receiving the impression are effected in the machine by means of known devices which will not be described. The printing mechanism illustrated in FIGURES 1A and 1B comprises two separate parts: the striking mechanism and the decoding mechanism. The striking mechanism is illustrated in FIGURE 1A with the type drum, while the decoding mechanism is almost entirely illustrated in FIGURE 1B. The striking mechanism' illustrated by way of example in FIGURE lA-is a high-speed printing mechanism to that described in detail in the patent application filed in Great Britain by Compagnie des Machines Bull on the 23rd September, 1959, under N0. 32,429/59. This mechanism will'only be very briefly described. g i

The code envisaged for the control of the machine is an extended code comprising 59 digits, characters or signs, and if desired the automatic printing of the noughts. 1

' A machine cycle is divided into 15 points, and the type drum is divided along its periphery into 90 equal parts for each printing mechanism. The printing of a character'rnay take place in the course of one of ten cycle "points. The characters or signs are disposed in 60 positions distributed along an angle a on the periphery of the drum. The other 30 positions correspond to the angle 8 and do not bear any engraved signs. The precision with which the striking mechanisms are set in operation is ensured, for each row of printing mechanisms, by means of a toothed cylinder called a clock wheel, which is It is rotated by a motor ata rate of 10 revolutions per machine cycle in absolute synchronism with the rotation ot the type drum. For the precise adjustment of the' striking mechanisms, some of the members of each mechanism are mounted on an adjustment plate 7. The said plate is fast with the support plate 2 bymeans of a screw 67 forming a pivot. An opening 68 in the plate 7 permits "the adjustment of the position of the said plate on the 'support plate 2. A screw 69 is provided to lock the plate 7 in the chosen position. A member 11 provided with three arms 10, and 17 is adapted to pivot about a pin 12 fast with the adjustment plate 7. The arm 10 is urged towards a fixed abutment 21 under the action of a spring 14 engaged at one end with the arm 15 and at the other end with a point 16 fixed to the plate 7;

The arm 17 is; formed with an aperture 18 and is providedwith a boss 19. A member 26 provided with three arms 28, and 33 is adapted to pivot about a pin 27 fixed on the support plate 2. The arm 28 is provided 4 with a dog 29 engaged in the opening 18 in the arm 17. A spring 31 is engaged at-one end with the arm 30 and at the other end with a fixed point 32 fast with the support plate 2. The arm 33 is provided with a shoulder 34. A striker lever 36 is provided with three arms 35, 38 and 41 and is adapted to pivot about a fixed" pin 37 fast with the support plate 2. The arm is adapted to rest against the shoulder 34 of the arm.- 33. There bears against the end of the arm 41 a striker hammer 42, which is adapted to slide in a support 44 and is applied against the arm 41 by means of a spring 45. i

A spring 59 is engaged at one end with the arm 38 of the striker lever and at the other end-with a lever which serves for the adjustment of the tension of the said spring. When the end of the arm 35 is not retained by the shoulder 34 of the lever 33, the arm 35 is brought under the action of the spring 19 against afixed abutment 55. At each cycle, a resetting bar 61 is actuated at a given instant in the cycle by a cam Whose surve is'illustrated in FIGURE 3C, in order to re-engage the arm '35 with the shoulder 34 of the lever 33 if'the latter has been disengaged for a printing operation in the preceding cycle.

The decoding mechanism of the printing mechanism comprises (FIGURE 18) an electromagnet to which are applied coded electric pulses for'controlling the printing mechanism. The said electromagnet is fixed to the plate 2 by screws 101 and 102. Disposed opposite the fixed armatures of the electromagnet is a movable blade 103 which is adapted to pivot about'a pin 104 and which is urged by a spring 105 against an adjustable fixed abutment 106. The movable blade 103 has in' its upper portion a projection 107 on which there are adapted to bear three members 110, 111 and 112 called selectingpawls which are arranged to pivot about a fixed pin 113. The pawls L10, 1 11 and 1:12, the particular shapes of which are not very distinct in FIGURE 1B, are separately illustrated in FIGURES 6A, 6B and 6C. The pawl 1'10, called the 8-7 selecting pawl by reason of its selecting function, comprises a lever 116 and alever provided with a pawl 117. The lever 116, which is adapted to bear against the projection 107 of the'blade 103 of the electromagnet, is provided with a lug 1-18 with which there is engaged one end of a spring 119, the other end of which is engaged with a fixed point 120 fast with the.

{7 support plate 2. The pawl 11 1, called the control pawl, is provided with three levers 122, 123 and 124. The

lever 122 is arranged to bear against the projection 107 of the blade 1030f the electromagnet. The said lever 'to bear against the projection 107 of'the blade 1103 of 'the electromagnet. 'The. lever 136 is provided with a pawl 137 and a lug 138, with which there is engaged one end of a spring 139, the other end of which is engaged with a fixed point =140 fast with the support plate 2. The pawls 110 and 1 12 are actuated in the mechanism, in association with selecting levers also called sector levers and 145 pivotally mounted on a fixed pin 147. The sector .lever .145, called the 8-7 sector is provided with two levers 148,,and 149 The lever 148 is provided with a dog .150 and the lever;149 is provided with a bearing lug 15 1 arranged to bear against a selecting bar 155, the movements of which are controlled by a cam as indicated by the curve of FIGURE 3A. The

end of the lever 149 is provided with a sector 152 formed with two notches 153 and 154, a retainin'g'surface 158,

is engaged at one end with a lug '164 and at the other end with a fixed point 165 fast with the support plate 2. The sector lever 1%, called the nines sector is provided with two levers 167 and 168. The lever 167 is rectilinear and is provided with a lug 169, with which there is engaged one end of a spring 170, the other end of which is engaged with a point 171 fixed on the support plate 2. The lever 168 is provided with a lug 173 bent over at a right angle, which is arranged to bear against the lever 149. The end of the lever 168 is provided with a sector 175, which comprises a retaining surface 176, a tooth 177, a notch 178, called the nines notch, and a lifting surface 179.

The sector levers 145 and 14-6 serve in combination to position a group selecting sector 181. The said sector is arranged to pivot about a pin 182 mounted on a lever 183 called the striking release lever, which is arranged to pivot about a pin 184 fixed on the support plate 2. The selecting sector 181 is provided with an are 186, a lever 1187 and an abutment 188. The said abutment is arranged to bear against the lever 148 or against the lever 167.

The group character selecting sector .181 is formed with steps denoted in FIGURES 1B and 9, in accordance with their function in the group character selecting process, E9-8, E3, E9-7, E7 and E9. The last step ER is extended by the are 186 and corresponds to a group of characters determined by the absence of a group character selecting indication. A spring 190 is engaged at one end with the selecting sector 1&1 and at the other end with a point 191 on the lever 183. Under the action of the said spring, the sector 181 is urged against one of the levers 148 and 167 or against an abutment 192 fixed on the support plate 2. The lever 183 is urged (FIGURE 1B) against a fixed abutment 185 under the action of a spring 196 which is fixed at one end to one end of the said lever and at the other end to a point 197 fixed on the support plate 2. The other end of the lever 183 is provided with a dog 198, on which the arm 17 of the member '11 is arranged to bear. Also arranged to pivot on the pin 134, on which the lever 183 is pivotally mounted, is a pawl supporting lever 2&0, which is provided with a head 201 which is normally applied by a spring 203 against an abutment 202 fixed on the support plate 2. The spring 203 is fixed at one end to a lug 204 fast with the said lever and at the other end to a point 205 fixed on the support plate 2.

The lever 200 supports a pawl 207 pivotally mounted on a pin 298 fast with the said lever. A spring 209 permanently bears against the end 210 of the pawl 297. The lever 200 is provided with a projection 21-1 and an extension 214 comprising an edge 215, an inclined surface 216, a nose 217 and a projection 218. The boss 128 of the lever 124 is sufficiently thick to be able to bear against the pawl 207 or against the edge 215 of the pawl supporting lever 200 (FIGURE 9).

In the course of the operation of the machine, the pawl 207 can be brought, under the action of the boss 128 of the lever 124, into engagement with one of the teeth of a toothed cylinder 220 called the selecting ratchet. The selecting ratchet, like the clock wheel 5 of each row of printing mechanisms, extends in the machine over the entire width occupied by the said printing mechanisms. The selecting ratchet is provided with teeth and turns in the same direction as the clock wheel at one-tenth of the speed thereof, i.e., in the described example, at 300 r.p.m.

The selecting bar 155, the resetting bar 61 and the retaining bar 131 are actuated in the course of each cycle by carns which impart to these bars movements indicated by the curves of FIGURES 3A, 3B and 3C.

FIGURE 2 illustrates diagrammatically the arrangement of the control levers for the said bars. The cams, the profiles of which are not indicated in the figure, are keyed on a shaft 0, which is the shaft of the selecting operative position to the right.

ratchet 220, and they consequently turn at the same speed (300 r.p.m.). A similar arrangement is provided at each end of each row of mechanisms. The resetting bar 61 is fast at its two ends with a lever 230 adapted to pivot about a fixed pin 231. A lever 232 fast with the lever 230 is provided at its end with a roller 233 adapted to roll on a cam R, the profile of which is shown in developed form in FIGURE 3C. A spring 234 is fixed at one end to the lever 230 and at the other end to a point 235 fast with the frame of the machine, and urges the roller 233 against the cam R.

The retaining bar 131 is fast at its two ends with a lever 240 adapted to rock about a pin 241 fixed on the frame of the machine. A lever 242 fast with the lever 240 is provided at its end with a roller 243 adapted to roll on a cam 'M, the pro-file of which is illustrated in developed form in FIGURE 3B. A spring 244 fixed at one end to the lever 2&0 and at the other end to a point 245 fixed to the frame of the machine applies the roller 243 against the cam M. The selecting bar is fast at its two ends with a lever 250 adapted to pivot about a pin 2'51 fixed to the frame of the machine. A lever 252 fast with the lever 250 is provided at its end with a roller 253 adapted to roll on a cam S, the profile of which is illustrated in developed form in FIGURE 3A. A spring 254 fixed at one end to the lever 250 and at the other end to a point 255 fixed to the frame of the machine appliesthe roller 253 against the cam S.

The code employed with the mechanism described by Way of example is as follows:

Group selections Executive Selections 6 5 4 3 2 1 011 12nothing nothing --.ii21 L XELXHZi 2 8 EQEEA BEZ 8 are the combinations of patent specification No.

The underlined combinations the code employed in French 855,032.

The position (ZM) corresponds in the code to the possible printing of noughts called mechanical noughts. FIGURE 11 shows a number of examples of the recording of digits, letters or signs by perforations in a record card.

In order to show the operation of the mechanism, a number of examples of selections will be described. When the machine is in operation, a synchronous motor (not shown) drives the type drum 1 in a uniform direction of rotation as indicated by the arrow F1 (FIGURES 1A, 1B) at a speed of 300 r.p.m. (at the rate of one revolution per machine cycle). The clock wheel 5 of each row of printing mechanisms is driven in the direction of the arrow F2 at 3,000 r.p.m. (ten revolutions per cycle) and the selecting ratchet 220 is driven at the rate of 300 rpm. (one revolution per cycle) in the direction of the arrow F3 by another synchronous motor.

The resetting bar 61 (FIGURE 1A) is actuated during the points 9 and 8 of each cycle with a movement towards the left (diagram of FIGURE 3C) and then returns during the points 7 and 6 of the cycle to its in The retaining bar 131 is in the position G (FIGURE 8) during the points 9,

8 and 7 "of each cycle, and then in the position 1) (FIG- URE 9) during the remainder of the time (FIGURE 3B). The selecting bar 155 (curve of FIGURE 3A) is in the uppermost position, position H (FIGURE 7), at the beginning of the point 9 of each cycle, and is then progressively returned to the position B during the points 9, 8, 7 and 60f the cycle. In FIGURES 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10, the illustrated mechanisms are shown in positions corresponding to the points F1, F7,'F8, F9 and F10 respectively of the diagram of FIGURE 3A.

The drawing of FIGURE 7 illustrates a part of the mechanismat' the beginning of the point 9 of the cycle, that is to say, at the beginning of the group selecting operation. The spring 196 applies the striking release lever 183 against the fixed abutment 185. The spring 190 applies the group selecting sector 181 against the fixed abutment 192. The spring 163 applies the lug 151 e of the sector lever 145 against the selecting bar 155. The spring 170 applies the lug 173 of the sector lever 146 against the lever 149 of the sector lever 145. The spring 119 applies the nose 117 of the pawl 110 against the retaining surface 158 of the sector 152. The spring 139 applies the pawl 137 of the lever 136 against the lifting surface 179 of the'sector' 175. The spring 126 applies the boss 130 of the control pawl 111 against the retaining bar 131. The spring 105 applies the blade 103 of the electromagnet 100 against the fixed abutment 106. As already stated, the selecting bar 155 descends during the points 9, 8, 7 and 6 of the cycle and the sector levers 145 and 146 accompany it in its movement. The lever 167 encounters the abutment 188 of the selecting sector 181 and pivots the latter about its pin 182 to the position illustrated (FIGURE 7) in dot-and-dash lines. During this movement, the various steps E9-8 to 'ER of the selecting sector successively travel past the possible path T of the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever-200.

There will be considered as a first example of the operation of the mechanism the conditions for the control of the printing of the sign X (multiplied by) which is obtained (see above table) by a group selection formed 7 by the combination 9-7 and by an executive selection 3.

At the point 9 of the cycle, a coded pulse 9 is sent into theelectromagnet 100, which is energised, and the blade 103 is attracted. The pawl 117 is'retained by the inclined surface 158 of the sector 152 and maintains I the lever 116 above the nose 107 of the blade of the elec- I tromagnet, while the pawl 137, which is not retained,

falls into the recess 178 in the sector 175 (nines sector), which is' thus locked. FIGURE 8 shows the instant (end of the point 9, beginning of the point 8) at which, with the nines sector retained by the pawl 137, the lug 173 leaves the lever 149, which continues alone to accompany the selecting bar 155 in its downward movement. The lever 116 then bears against the nose 107 of the blade 103 of the electromagnet. i

If the electromagnet100 were energised in the course 'of the same cycle by an electric pulse at the point 8, the

pawl 117 would fall into the recess 154 in the sector 152 a and the selecting sector 1-81'would be held fast with the step E9-7 on the path T of the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever 200. In the example described with reference to the printing of the sign X, there is no pulse transmitted to the electromagnet at the point 8 of the cycle.

In FIGURE 1B, the mechanism is shown at the end of the point 7 of the cycle, the electromagnet 100 having ,been successively energised by a pulse *9 and by a pulse 7. In this case, the sector 152 is also held fast and the selecting sector 181 is held fast with the step 'E9-7 disposed on the path Tof the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever 200.

Itwill be noted item the foregoing that the sector 181' is positioned either by the lever 148 of the sector 8-7 abutment 188 of the selecting sector 181 and positions it, while if a pulse 9 has been emitted, the lever 167 is retained and it is the lever 148 which bears against the abutment 188 and positions 'the selecting sector 181. The locking of the sector 8-7 by a pulse 7 therefore positions the step E9-7 of the sector 181 in the path of the head 201 of the pawl support 200.

If, after the pulse 9, there was no pulse 8 and no pulse 7, the sector 152 would continue its downward movement and the pawl 117 would abut the projection of the sector 152 at the point 6 of the cycle. The sector is provided with a disengaging surr'ace'159 which, at this instant, would push the pawl 117 so as to lift the lever 116 and to release the blade of the electromagnet.

At the end of the point 7 of the cycle, the retaining bar 131 is withdrawn to the right and the lever 122 of the control pawl 1-11 rests (FIGURE 1B) on the nose 107 of the blade 103 of the electromagnet. A pulse 3 at the point 3 of the cycle disengages the control pawl, which rocks to the right under the action of the spring 126 and (FIGURE 9) the'boss 128 of the lever 124 pushes up the pawl 207, which becomes engaged between two teeth of the selecting ratchet 220. It is known that the selecting ratchet performs one revolution per cycle and that it is provided with 15 teeth (one tooth per cycle point). From the instant when a tooth of the selecting ratchet encounters the pawl 207, the pawl supporting lever 200 is driven by the saidtooth and the head 201 of the said lever comes into contact with a step of the selecting sector 181 at an instant which is determined in a cycle point by one of the six positions which can be occupied by the said sector in accordance with a group selection. In the case of a group selection 9-7 (before the pulse 3), the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever will encounter the selecting sector after three-sixths of a point, plus a safety margin (S) provided for in the mechanism. From this instant, the striking release lever 1 83 rocks about its pin 184 (FIGURE 1A), and the dog 198 descends and permits the boss 19 of the lever 11 for preparing for the striking to descend between two teeth of the clock wheel 5. When a tooth of the clock wheel encounters the boss 19, the preparing lever 11 is thrown upwards, pushes the dog 29, rocks the release lever 26 and releases the striking lever 36, which throws the striker hammer 42, which strikes the paper against the type drum at the sign X engraved on the said drum, so that the sign X is printed.

FIGURE 10 shows the printing mechanism when the pawl supporting lever 200 is in its extreme position for the printing of the sign towards the end of'the point 2 of the cycle (FIGURE 3B). In fact, the printing of a character takes place approximately between one and a half and two and a half points following the pulse for the performance of the printing. 7

It has been seen that during the points 9, 8 and 7 of a cycle the action of the retaining bar on the control pawl 111 prevents the said pawl from being actuated by the electromagnet and maintains the lever 122 of the said pawl above the nose 107 of the blade 103 of the said electromagnet without touching it. At the end of the point 7 (point I of the curve of FIGURE 33), the said lever bears against the blade of the electromagnet. This position is represented (FIGURE 3B) by the horizontal line J-Q. The executive pulse at the point 3 of the cycle has attracted the blade and has allowed the pawl 111 to rock until the pawl 207 (FIGURE 9) touches the base of the space between two teeth of the selecting ratchet. The lever 122 has moved from the line J-Q (FIGURE SE) to the line K (position illustrated by FIGURE 9). When one tooth of the selecting ratchet encounters the pawl 207, the latter is pushed to the left and the boss 128 slides along the ratchet 207 (oblique descending portion L of the curve-FIGURE 3B), whereafter the said boss encounters the inclined surface 216 on the extension 214- of the pawl supporting lever 29% and the end of the lever 122 rises (portion M of the curve). The boss 128 thereafter moves on to the boss 218 (point N of the curve) and then falls back against the flat on the nose 217 of the extension of the pawl supporting lever (point of the curve). The position illustrated in FIGURE has been reached owing to the positive driving of the pawl 207 by a ratchet tooth 220 and then by the throw of the lever 200 and of all the parts fast therewith. When the pawl 207 is engaged with a tooth of the selecting ratchet 220 (FIGURE 9), the force transmitted to the pawl by the tooth of the ratchet maintains the said pawl in engagement. A fixed abutment 219 is provided to disengage the pawl 207 before the projection 211 of the pawl supporting lever 200 encounters the fixed abutment 185. The spring 203 of the pawl supporting lever thereafter brings the boss 218 against the boss 128, which remains in this position until the end of the cycle. This device stores the fact that a printing operation has taken place in the cycle and prevents any further movement of the pawl supporting lever 200 from being initiated when a pulse is applied to the electromagnet at the point 13 of the cycle. The movement of the lever 183, which permits a printing operation, may be of very small amplitude. As already stated, it is sufiicient to position the boss 19 of the member 11 in the path of a tooth of the clock wheel, but in order to effect a printing operation the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever 2% must be able to encounter one or other of the steps of the selecting sector 181. For this purpose, therefore, a large stroke of the pawl supporting lever under the action of the selecting ratchet is necessary. However, in order to avoid any damage to the mechanism, devices have been designed for automatically disengaging the selecting sector after completion of a certain movement.

In FIGURE 9, the step E9-7 of the. selecting sector 181 is in the path T of the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever 200, which will drive it in its movement. The lever 187, which is fast with the selecting sector 181, projects outside the lever 183 and, at the end of the stroke, encounters the fixed abutment 193. At this instant, the abument 188 no longer bears on one of the levers 143 and 167 and the combined action of the abutment 193 and of the spring 190 causes the sector 181 to pivot to the right and release it from the action of the head 201 of the pawl supporting lever 200. After the printing, the spring 196 returns the abutment 188 against the projection 150 of the lever 148. When the selecting bar 155 thereafter rises during the point of the cycle, the levers 148 and 167 are lowered and the selecting sector is returned into the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 by the spring 196.

The printing of a digit 9, 8 or 7 or ofa sign or is controlled by a pulse 9 or 8 or 7 respectively and by a systematic pulse emitted at the point 10 of the cycle. The case will be considered where, as in the preceding example, the electromagnet 100 has received a pulse 9 and a pulse 7 for the group selection, but no pulse- 3. In this case, the combination 9-7 and a pulse 13 control the printing of the sign The mechanism is assumed, at the end of the point 12 (FIGURE 3B) to be in a position corresponding to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1B, except that the retaining bar 131 is in its extreme right-hand position, and that the selecting bar 155 is in its lowermost position. At the points 9, 8 and 7 of the cycle, the control pawl 111 being retained by the retaining bar 131, the pulses 9 and 7 will have no action on the said pawl. At the point 13 of the cycle, a systematic pulse is sent into the electromagnet 100 and the printing mechanism effects the printing of a sign which is determined in accordance with the 18 position of the selecting sector 181 at this instant. The movements of the lever 124 of the control pawl 111 are indicated at K1, L1, M1, N1 (FIGURE 3B) and correspond to the movements initiated by a pulse 3 in the case previously described, but with a slight difference, in that, at the point P in the point 15 of the cycle, the descent of the boss 128 of the lever 124 on to the nose 217 of the pawl supporting lever 200 is interrupted by the presence of the retaining bar 131, which ends its movement towards the left and thus brings the lever 124 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7.

A mechanism designed in accordance with the invention, for the use of an extended code, does not necessitate an increase in the number of points per cycle, which, while leaving the same time for each cycle point, would have the disadvantage of increasing the duration of a cycle and reducing the number of cycles per minute.

in the table showing the code employed in the described examples of operation, mention has been made of a position ZM called the position for printing the mechanical noughts. This position corresponds to the possible printing of a nought under the following conditions: it is sometimes considered advantageous not to punch in the record cards the noughts included in numbers. -It is then necessary to provide in the printing machines controlled by means of the said cards arrangements for automatically printing the said noughts. There are generally employed for this purpose mechanical devices called mechanical nought-printing devices, by means of which it is possible, with the aid of manually positionable members, to control the automatic printing of the noughts, or to prevent it when it is systematically controlled, in chosen groups of printing columns. In a printing machine comprising printing mechanisms of the type described, the automatic printing of the noughts is preferably controlled by means of electric circuits which can be set either manually or automatically by means of relays. With this arrangement it is possible, as will hereinafter be shown, to avoid manual positioning of control members, since the arrangements peculiar to a particular working programme may be automatically fixed by the positioning of a control panel provided with appropriate connections.

The diagram of FIGURE 4 shows, for a number of columns GL1, 0L2 CL120, the electric circuits which condition the automatic nought printing in the machine. The device described is designed to be able to control the printing of the noughts included in numbers, Whether or not these noughts are punched in the record cards. The conditioning circuits are connected to lines which, by means of cam-operated contacts, transmit voltages or voltage pulses to the said circuits in the course of each cycle in the manner indicated in the diagram of FIGURE 5. A line ILT (FIGURE 4) tranmits through a cam-operated contact CTI to the contact roller RC of the reading device, pulses called reading pulses which correspond in a cycle (FIGURE 5) to the passage of the recording positions 9 to 12 (FIGURE 11) in record cards between the said contact roller and the reading brushes BA1, BA2 BA120. The line LAN receives voltage from the cam-operated contact CT2 during the points 9 to 12 of each cycle, for the reading of alphanumerical indications in the card columns read. The cam contact GT3, when closed, applies voltage to the line VLN during the points 9 to 1, to permit the reading of numerical indications, and assists if necessary in effecting the automatic printing of the noughts included in numbers, as will hereinafter be shown. The contact CT4 applies voltage to the line 11.13 during the points 0' to 13 of each cycle. The cam contact CT5 applies voltage to the line MTN for maintaining the circuit during the points 9 to 13 of each cycle. The cam-operated contact CT6 applies voltage to the line F13 during a part of the points 12 and 13, whereby systematic pulses are transmitted to the point 13, as indicated in the diagram of FIGURE 5. The camoperated contact GT7 applies voltage to the line D13 the said noughts are punched or not.

during the first half of the point 13 of each cycle; For

a each printing column, a set of relays A1, B1, C1, D1, E1

nected in each column by means of a slider CV to the' contact stud PA for the reading of alphanumerical inmcations with the punched noughts, or to the contact stud PN for the reading of numerical indications with automatic printing of the noughts within the numbers, whether It is obvious that the connections between the 'studs PC and the studs PA or the studs PN may equally well be effected by means of relay contacts automatically controlled in accordance with a predetermined programme by means known in the field of record card machines.

- It will'be assumed, for example, that the number 50 is to be printed in the columns GL1 and GL2, corresponding to the circuits illustrated in the diagram of FIGURE 4. The sliders CV are so positioned as to connect the studs PG'to the studs PN, as indicated. At the instant of the cycle when a perforation 5 can be read in a card column GL1 by the brush BAl, the cam-operated contacts GT2, GT3 and GT5 are closed. The relay A1 is energised and its contact a1 is closed. The reading of a perforation 5 results in the passage of a pulse'5 through the following circuit: positive terminal of the current source, line LA, cam-operated contact GT1 ,(closed), line ILT, contact roller RC (perforation 5 in the card), brush BAl, contact a1 (closed) and, on the one hand, lineLll, contact f1 (closed), clectromagnet ELI of the printing mechanism of the column CL1 and return to the negative terminal of the'current source through the line LD; On the other hand, the pulse '5 temporarily energises the relay B1, which closes its contact 121, the closure of which energises the relay C1 and'the relay D1. The relay C1 closes its contact c1, which establishes a holding circuit through the line MTN for the relays C1 and D1.

'I'he energisation of the. relay D1 closes the contact d1, which is maintained closed. In the column GL2, nothing has been read. At the end of the point 1 (FIG URE 5), the cam-operated contact GT3 opens and the contact GT4 closes. The relay A1 is no longer energized and its contact all opens. The'line 0.13, to which voltage is applied due to closure of the contact GT4, energises the relay E1, which closes the contact e1. At the point 1-2, A of the cycle, the contact GT2 isopened and the contact GT5 is closed. Closure of the contact GT6 applies voltage to the line F13 and a circuit is established as follows: positive terminal of the current source, line LA,- contact GT6 (closed), line F13, contact d1 (closed), line L12, contact e1 (closed), line L13,contact d2 (closed),- relay F2 (which is energisedand closes the contact f2). The relay E2 which is energised by the line 0.13 closes its contact e2, through which the voltage of the line F13 is thus transmitted to all the right-hand columns of G1 which have not printed any digit. At the point 13 of the cycle, the cam-operated contact GT7 closes and applies voltage to the line D13. A circuit is established as follows: positive terminal of the current source, cam-operated contact GT7, line D13, contact f2 (closed), eIectIOmagnet'ELZ and return to the negative terminal of the source. Energisation of the electromagnet EL2 at the point 13 initiates the printing of a 0. It will be noted that the relay P1 of the column GL1 being energised the contact 112 is closed, and that the pulse 13 transmitted through the line D13 is applied to the electromagnet ELL Since the lever 20% remains engaged with the lever 124 after the printing of the 5, the energisation of the electromagnet EL1 at the point 13 of the cycle has no effect. 7

It is obvious that the described example has no limiting character, that the various cases of operation described relate to a single invention and that any modification of form, omissions or substitutions would be possible in accordance with the circumstances and the applications without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: v

1. In a cyclically operating printing machine which includes a rotatably driven type drum having on its periphery a plurality of series of characters arranged in parallel and divided into groups, the various characters of each series traveling in the course of one cycle past a striking mechanism which is adapted to be actuated at a given instant in a cycle through a decoding device for printing a selected character, under the control of coded control pulses transmitted to said decoding device at predetermined instants in two successive .periods of a cycle, at least one control pulse transmitted during the first periodselecting a group of characters from a series, and at least one control pulse transmitted at a determined instant during the second period selecting a character from the selected group, the decoding device comprising atleast three selecting pawls, an electromagnet energized by the coded control pulses and arranged to successively control said three selecting pawls, two selecting levers, two of said selecting pawls arranged to control respectively the positioning of said two selecting levers, an actuating lever pivotably mounted for releasing said striking mechanism, a pivot means fixed on said actuating lever, a group selecting sector including a plurality of stepped abutments mounted on said pivot means, said two selecting pawls positioning said group selecting sector upon receipt of control pulses during said first period by said electromagnet, a bar for retaining the third of said selecting pawls, a cam for actuating said bar during said first period, means for actuating said third selecting pawl upon receipt of at least one control pulse during said second period by said electromagnet, a movable pawl supporting member, an actuating pawl pivotably mounted on said movable pawl supporting lever, a driving member moving synchronously with said type drum, the actuation ofsaid third selecting pawl bringingsaid actuating pawl in'contact with said driving member in that the movement of said driving member is transmitted to said movable pawl supporting lever for causing said actuating pawl to encounter at a given instant an abutment of said group selecting sector situated and selectively positioned in its path andto push said actuating lever bearing said grouped selecting sector for releasing said striking mechanism at a given instant in the cycle so as to print the selected character. p

2. The printing machine according to claim 1, wherein the driving member moving synchronously with said type drum is a ratchet wheel.

3. The printing machine according to claim 1, wherein the selecting levers of the decoding device each include a sector formed with notches arranged to permit the lock.-

'ing of each of said selecting levers by means-of one of said selecting pawls in a given position for positioning said group selecting sector to select, in combination,

a group of characters, a selecting bar, a cam with a translational movement during the time of transmission of the pulses of the first group for actuating said selecting bar, a first spring for pulling said first selecting lever against said selecting bar, a first abutment on said first selecting lever, a second spring for pulling said second selecting lever against said first abutment, a second abutment on said group selecting sector, means for urging said second abutment against said second selecting lever for positioning said second selecting lever, means for continuouslydisplacing said selecting bar during said first period, the notches in the sectors of said selecting levers traveling past said selecting pawls'and beingso arranged that a pulse transmitted to the electromagnet' during the first instant of said first period of a cycle releases the first 13 14 row of said selecting pawls, said second selecting pawl References Cited in the file of this patent lockin only the second selecting lever in a given posi- N T tion, Zine a second pulse transmitted during said first U B S ATES PATENTS period can initiate the locking of the said first selecting 2,013,533 Buhler Sept- 1935 lever in a given position for controlling the positioning of 5 2,227,143 Knutsen 1940 said group selecting sector. 2,566,944 Last SePt- 1951 2,627,807 Buhler Feb. 10, 1953 

